Page 1324 - Sports
France's Pavard wins World Cup goal of the tournament
France right-back Benjamin Pavard has won the 2018 World Cup goal of the tournament award for his stunning strike against Argentina, FIFA announced today. The 22-year-old Stuttgart defender ran onto a left-wing cross from Lucas Hernandez and sent a right-footed half-volley spinning into the top corner to level eventual champions France's last-16 tie with Argentina at 2-2 in the 57th minute. France went on to win the game 4-3 before beating Croatia in the final on July 15. Pavard's effort won a public vote to be named the best of the 169 goals scored in the tournament, seeing off competition from Colombian midfielder Juan Quintero's free-kick against Japan and Luka Modric's goal in Croatia's group-stage thumping of Argentina.
Luka to appear in confirmatory trial in Thiruvananthapuram on Aug 15
Middle-distance runner Tintu Luka will undergo a confirmatory trial in Thiruvananthapuram on August 15 as she makes a bid to make the cut for next month's Asian Games. Luka, who has not competed this year as she was recovering from an injury, will run her 800m race at the IG Chandrasekharan Nair Police Stadium in the Kerala capital. She was named in the 51-member Indian team for the Asian Games subject to a confirmatory trial. The national record holder Luka, who won a silver in the 2014 Asian Games, did not take part in the June 26-29 National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Guwahati due to a heel injury. She also did not take part in the Federation Cup in March, which had served as the selection trial for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. High jumper B Chetan and long jumpers Nayana James and Neena Pinto have also been asked to appear for confirmatory trials in Thiruvananthapuram on August 15. Juana Murmu (400m hurdles), Sandeep Kumari (discus throw), Anu Rani ...
Police question Sri Lanka cricketer over hotel rape
Sri Lankan police have questioned a player for the national cricket team after a Norwegian woman was allegedly raped in a hotel room while he was present, an official said today. Opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka, 27, has already been suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket on a "misconduct" charge after a close associate of his was arrested for sexual assault in the team hotel in Colombo. Gunathilaka was quizzed by police on Tuesday about an incident at the weekend when his friend Sandeep Jude Selliah, 26, was accused of raping one of two Norwegian women in their room, an officer told AFP. "He has said he was asleep and was not aware of what had taken place between his friend and the Norwegian woman," said the policeman on condition of anonymity. Selliah, a British passport-holder of Sri Lankan origin, was arrested shortly after the woman complained to police Sunday that he raped her the evening before in the presence of Gunathilaka. Selliah was remanded in custody until Thursday. "Police .
U-19 Test: India lead by 473 runs against SL on Day 2
Pawan Shah plundered a record 282 runs as India Under-19 declared their first innings for a massive 613 for 8 wickets before they reduced Sri Lanka U-19 to 140 for four at the end of the second day's play of their second and final Youth Test here on Wednesday.
Sevilla coach shows respect for rival club Ujpest
Sevilla coach Pablo Machin on Wednesday said he respects Hungarian club Ujpest, his team's opponent in the upcoming UEFA Europa League qualifier.
After Mumbai, Kerala CA protests against BCCI domestic schedule for juniors
A day after Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) raised its objection regarding the scheduling of the domestic calender, Kerala Cricket Association today turned the heat on GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim, asking him to change the scheduling of National U-16 Championship for the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Karim has played a major role in finalising the domestic fixture and most of the suggestions by the technical committee headed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly on integration of northeastern states, has been overlooked. In fact, a lot of technical committee members have been questioning as to what's the need for having meetings if Karim wants to take decisions unilaterally. In a departure from previous years, the BCCI has decided to advance the dates of the Vijay Merchant Trophy (national U-16 boys tournament) by two months from its usual December start. This year, it is scheduled to start on October 3. Kerala CA secretary Sreejith V Nair today categorically stated that it will be ..
Women Taekwondo players move HC for direction to include them in Asian Games
Two women Taekwondo players have approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the Union Ministry of Sports and other authorities to include their names in the list of players who would represent India in the upcoming 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. The two players sought direction to the Sports Authority of India to conduct selection trials for selecting Taekwondo players and to the Sports Ministry to allow selected players to participate and represent the country in the Asian Games to be held from August 18 to September 2. According to advocate Saurabh Jain, appearing for players Purva Dattatray Dixit and Kashish Malik, Justice Vibhu Bakhru today asked the counsel for Centre to take instructions from Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to act as a single person committee to decide on the issue as to how India can be properly represented at the Asian Games, 2018 for Taekwondo Sport since the Indian Olympic Association has not cleared the names of eligible ...
Nadal says winning all matches not his aim, lives for competition
Spanish tennis great and current world No.1 Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday that throughout his career, he has been driven by the thrill of the competition rather than a desire to win 100 per cent of his matches.
Pinto appointed head coach of Indian Arrows
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday appointed Floyd Pinto as the new head coach of Indian Arrows.
Sanbir-Gurpartap on top at RFC Challenge
Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu) of Chandigarh remained at the top with 687 points out of 900 after the ninth Special Stage in the Isuzu Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India off-road motorsport event.
75 riders to take part in 5th rd of MRF 2-wheelers rally on
Seventy-five riders have confirmed participation in the 5th Round of MRF MOGRIP FMSCI National Rally for two-wheelers to be held here on July 29. The MRF 2W Rally of Coimbatore, promoted by Godspeed (Pune) and organised by Coimbatore Auto Sports Club (CASC), will be conducted in a mix of dirt and gravel special stages. The total distance of the route is approximately 111.11 km with the special stages of 57 km. "This time around, unlike last year, there will be two special dtages the Black Thunder stage (14.85 km) and the Thunder World (14.45 km) run twice in the same direction," CASC secretary J Prithviraj said. The stages are set around the wind farms near the Kethanur (Palladam in Tirupur District) area and a service park is established there for the competitors to service and refuel their vehicles, he said. Already 75 riders have confirmed participation across nine classes that form the championship Super Bike (Pro Expert, Group A), Super Bike (Expert Group A); Super
30 Russians to compete in European athletics meet
The Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) on Wednesday announced that a total of 30 competitors will take part in the European Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Berlin in August 2018.
Young Pawan hits six fours in an over en route 282, India U-19 score 613/8 decl
Young Maharashtra batsman Pawan Shah smashed 282, the second highest individual score in U-19 internationals, along with six consecutive boundaries in an over as India posted a mammoth 613 for 8 against Sri Lanka on the second day of the final 'Youth Test' here today. The Indian innings was declared when Shah, an 18-year-old right-hander from Pune, was dismissed after missing out on a triple hundred by 18 runs. His 282 came off 332 balls with 33 boundaries and a six in just under seven hours. He failed to beat Australian Clinton Peake's 304 not out against India in Melbourne in 1995, which is still the highest score at this U-19 level. The highlight of his knock was six consecutive boundaries off left-arm seamer Vichithra Perera in the 108th over of the innings. The first boundary got him to his double hundred. The last time six boundaries were hit in an over in any form of international representative cricket was way back in 1982, when Sandeep Patil did the same against Bob Willis in
Cherchesov to remain Russian head coach
Russia head coach Stanislav Cherchesov will maintain his position, Russian Football Union (RFU) First Vice-President Nikita Simonyan said on Wednesday.
Symbol of Gold triumphs
'Symbol of Gold', trained by CVGK Kishore, won the Fond Hope Plate, the main event of the Monsoon Races here today. The winner was ridden by B R Kumar. Trainers CVGK Kirhosre and Laxman S scored a triple each. While Jockies Kuldeep S and Arshad Alam scored a double each. Five favourites obliged in a card of eight events.
Amateur Seher shares lead with Tvesa, Neha in 10th leg of Hero WPG Tour
Amateur Seher Atwal struck a brilliant 2-under 70 to share the lead with seasoned Tvesa Malik and Neha Tripathi, after the first round of the 10th leg of the Hero womens Pro golf Tour at Clover Greens here on Wednesday.
Serena claims 'discrimination' over drug tests
Serena Williams claims she is the victim of "discrimination" by US doping chiefs who are testing her more than other players. At Wimbledon Williams slammed "shocking" treatment over excessive targeting from testers in the run-up to the second Grand Slam of the season. And in a tweet on Wednesday the 23-time Grand slam winner reignited the discussion. ".....and it's that time of the day to get "randomly" drug tested and only test Serena," she posted on her official Twitter page. "Out of all the players it's been proven I'm the one getting tested the most. Discrimination? I think so. At least I'll be keeping the sport clean #StayPositive," she wrote. The 36-year-old battled back from life-saving surgery after giving birth to get within touching distance of an eighth Wimbledon title. However, the American suffered a straight sets defeat by Angelique Kerber in the women's final on July 14. She had arrived at the tournament on the back of a report revealing her anger about an unannounced ..
Du Plessis backs Dale Steyn to stage strong comeback
South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has expressed hope that out-of-form fast bowler Dale Steyn would make a solid comeback in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan in December.Du Plessis' comments came after Sri Lanka thrashed South Africa 2-0 in the recently-concluded two-match series, where the fast bowler could only manage to add two wickets in his tally."It was frustrating for Dale because he gives everything. You saw when he was running in, there was nothing happening for him, there was no reverse swing and no pace on the wicket. He kept trying," Sports24 quoted du Plessis, as saying."I think the next time he has the red ball in hand there will be a little more assistance when we play against Pakistan. I know he is motivated and I expect him to come back and put in the good performances," he added.The right-handed batsman, however, defended Steyn's performance against Sri Lanka by insisting that it is really difficult to get something out of dusty tracks and that it was ...
Chennaiyin FC head coash Gregory is ISL Coach of the Year
Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC head coach John Gregory has bagged the ISL Coach of the Year award instituted by theAssociation of Indian Football Coaches (AIFC). The award was presented at AIFCs inaugural awards at the DY Patil School of Medicine in Navi Mumbai today, a press note said here. Gregory was recognised for guiding Chennaiyin FC to its second ISL title in March this year, in his first ever coaching stint in India. "This award belongs to the entire coaching staff, management and everyone else associated with Chennaiyin FC for the fantastic last season," Gregory said in a video message from London. He said he was excited to return to India in a few weeks and begin the new campaign of the champions and defend the ISL title. "The support of a body like AIFC is extremely important for the entire fraternity of coaches.From all of us at Chennaiyin FC, we would be glad to help the aspiring coaches out there in their endeavours," he added. Under Gregory, ...
India U-20 coach Pinto to take charge of Indian Arrows in I-League
India's under-20 football coach Floyd Pinto will take charge of the Indian Arrows side in the upcoming I-League season, filling a post left vacant by Portuguese Luis Norton de Matos who stepped down earlier this month. De Matos, who was the head coach of the Indian U-17 World Cup team last year, quit the Arrows job on July 18, citing personal reasons. Pinto's appointment as Arrows head coach was announced today after the All India Football Federation's Technical Committee met here. "The Committee unanimously agreed upon Floyd Pinto taking over as the new head coach of Indian Arrows while his assistant will be appointed later after shortlisting applications for the post," the AIFF said in a release. Pinto's appointment as Arrows head coach was on expected lines as the Indian Arrows side will have most of the India U-20 players. Under de Matos, Indian Arrows, AIFF's developmental team comprising India U-17 and U-19 players, finished at the bottom of the I-League last season. Pinto will